摘要:
A CO2 gas discharge laser includes a housing enclosing spaced-apart electrodes and a lasing gas. A laser resonator extends between the spaced-apart electrodes. An RF power supply provides RF power for creating a discharge in the lasing gas, causing laser radiation to be delivered by the laser resonator. The power of the output radiation is directly dependent on the RF power provided to the electrodes and inversely dependent of the temperature of the gas discharge. A signal representative of the discharge-temperature is used to adjust the RF power supplied to the electrodes such that the power of the output radiation is about constant.
摘要:
Laser systems have a line-narrowed master oscillator and a power oscillator for amplifying the output of the master oscillator. The power oscillator includes optical arrangements for limiting the bandwidth of radiation that can be amplified. The limited amplification bandwidth of the power oscillator is relatively broad compared to that of the output of the master oscillator, but narrower than would be the case without the bandwidth limiting arrangements. The bandwidth narrowing arrangements of the power oscillator function primarily to restrict the bandwidth of amplified spontaneous emission generated by the power oscillator.
摘要:
A molecular fluorine laser includes a discharge chamber filled with a gas mixture including molecular fluorine and a buffer gas and not including a laser active rare gas, multiple electrodes within the discharge chamber defining a discharge region therebetween connected to a pulsed discharge circuit for applying discharge pulses to the electrodes for energizing the gas mixture, and a resonator including the discharge chamber for generating an oscillator laser beam at a wavelength around 157 nm and a bandwidth of less than 0.6 pm. The laser further includes a power amplifier for increasing the energy of the attenuated oscillator laser beam to a second predetermined energy for lithographic processing, a line-narrowing unit for reducing the bandwidth, a low intensity suppressor module to suppress the weaker lines of the F2-laser, and a synchronization unit to synchronize the oscillator and amplifier.
摘要:
Laser systems have a line-narrowed master oscillator and a power oscillator for amplifying the output of the master oscillator. The power oscillator includes optical arrangements for limiting the bandwidth of radiation that can be amplified. The limited amplification bandwidth of the power oscillator is relatively broad compared to that of the output of the master oscillator, but narrower than would be the case without the bandwidth limiting arrangements. The bandwidth narrowing arrangements of the power oscillator function primarily to restrict the bandwidth of amplified spontaneous emission generated by the power oscillator.
摘要:
A CO2 gas discharge laser includes elongated planar live and ground electrodes vertically spaced and electrically insulated from each. The electrodes are spaced apart by ceramic spacer strips arranged along the edges of the electrodes. An auxiliary electrode is located at each end of the live electrode, co-planar with the live electrode, longitudinally spaced part from the live electrode vertically spaced apart from, but electrically connected to, the ground electrode. The auxiliary electrode has two raised portions spaced apart by a distance less than the distance between inside edges of the ceramic strips. The raised portions of the auxiliary electrode prevent erosion of the ceramic strips by laser radiation generated in the resonator when the laser is operating.
摘要:
A RF shielded, series inductor, high power impedance matching network interconnector is provided for connecting an RF power supply to electrodes contained in the shielded, hermetically sealed laser tube housing of a slab laser system. The impedance matching interconnector comprises a short length of co-axial conductor and an impedance matching network that includes two L shaped networks. The inner conductor of the co-axial conductor is connected between the power supply output and the impedance matching network. The outer conductor of the co-axial conductor is grounded. The co-axial conductor has an impedance characteristic to match the power supply output impedance. The first L-shaped network includes a first inductor having a first end connected to the inner conductor of the co-axial conductor and a first capacitor connected to the second end of the first inductor and a second plate connected to ground. The second L shaped network includes a second inductor having a first end connected to the common connection between the second end of the first inductor and the first plate of the first capacitor and a second capacitor having a first plate connected to the second end of the second inductor and a second plate connected to ground. The common connection between the second end of the second inductor and the first plate of the second capacitor is connected through the shielded, hermetically sealed laser tube housing to the electrodes of the slab laser system. The two L-shaped networks may be implemented in a “single capacitor” configuration for lower power applications or in a “multi-capacitor” configuration for higher power applications.
摘要:
Laser systems have a line-narrowed master oscillator and a power oscillator for amplifying the output of the master oscillator. The power oscillator includes optical arrangements for limiting the bandwidth of radiation that can be amplified. The limited amplification bandwidth of the power oscillator is relatively broad compared to that of the output of the master oscillator, but narrower than would be the case without the bandwidth limiting arrangements. The bandwidth narrowing arrangements of the power oscillator function primarily to restrict the bandwidth of amplified spontaneous emission generated by the power oscillator.
摘要:
The lifetime of optical components used in deep-UV (DUV) excimer laser systems, including systems in a MOPA configuration, can be increased by reducing the intensity of pulses incident upon these components. In one approach, an output pulse can be “stretched” in order to reduce the peak power of the pulse. A pulse stretching component can be used, which can be mounted outside the laser enclosure with a horizontal beam path in order to provide a delay line with a minimum impact on the laser system footprint. The horizontal beam path also can minimize the number of optical components in the arm containing the high power beam. A beamsplitting prism can be used with the delay line to avoid the rapid degradation of coatings otherwise exposed to intense UV beams. The prism can expand the beam in the delay line in order to minimize beam intensity and losses due to reflection.
摘要:
A method for measuring amplified spontaneous emission (ASE) content in a beam of laser radiation emitted by a laser master oscillator power-amplifier system comprises directing the beam of light into a two-beam interferometer having unequal beam path lengths. The two beams interfering in the interferometer have equal amplitude and form a pattern of interference fringes. The beam-path difference is arranged to be greater than the coherence length of the ASE so that the ASE content of the beam does not form interference fringes but provides a background level of light in the interference pattern. This enables the ASE content of the beam to be determined from measurements of the maximum intensity of a bright fringe and the minimum energy of a dark fringe in the interference pattern.
摘要:
An oil-free pulser design can be used to produce an excimer or molecular fluorine laser system that is lighter, cheaper to produce, and simpler than existing systems. Such designs allow a relatively low DC voltage to be applied to a main transformer, allowing the pulser to be run without oil cooling. This relatively low voltage can be increased to the necessary voltage level, such as on the order to 12 kV to 15 kV, needed to drive the laser system. This transference can be accomplished using standard components, such as a pair of capacitor elements that are pulse-charged in parallel, but can be discharged in series following a reversal of charge on one of the capacitor elements.